2017

Тема: Estonian Cycling Weekend

This year the traditional cycling festival Estonian Cycling Weekend (ECW) will take place from the 26th of May to the 28th of May. In addition to the Tour of Estonia (UCI 2.1) and the 36th Tartu Rattaralli, ECW has a brand new event on its programme.

As a tradition, Estonian Cycling Weekend will be opened with Tour of Estonia’s opening stage Tallinn-Tartu GP. As of today there will be one or two pro-continental teams (Novo Nordisk’s attendance is certain, Gazprom RusVelo’s is doubtful), seven continental teams (including the stronger ones of KOLSS and Rietumu Banka-Riga) and three national teams (EST, FIN and SWE + maybe LTU) in the start of the opening stage. Estonia’s best hopes are connected with former Cofidis rider Gert Jõeäär, 2015 Tour of Estonia’s winner Martin Laas and Mihkel Räim, who recently won a stage in Tour d’Azerbaidjan.

Stages longer than last year

Approximately one hundred professional riders start a 211 km long journey from Tallinn to Tartu on May 26th. This year’s Tallinn-Tartu GP is 21 km longer than last year’s and also with a tougher profile. „Thanks to Emumäe there will be a more serious mountain finish for the first time in the history of the Tallinn-Tartu GP. Also, there will be a new, almost five kilometers long gravel section, which certainly makes the stage tactically more interesting,“ said race director Indrek Kelk.

Second and final stage will be in the city centre of Tartu, on Saturday, 27th of May. The stage runs on a fast tempo lap (same as last year) with two steep but fast and powerful climbs which will both be taken 18 times (in comparison to last year’s 15 laps). Total length of the second stage is 172,8 km.

On Sunday, 28th of May, biggest cycling festival in Eastern-Europe called the 36th Tartu Rattaralli will take place in Tartu. The Tartu Rattaralli is not part of the Tour of Estonia but is a separate 135/62 km race with more than 4000 participants. Many pro cyclists from the Tour of Estonia will also take part in Tartu Rattaralli.

For the first time there will be an event called Tour d’NIGHT in the programme of the Tartu Rattaralli. It is an event, which has no entry fee and no registration – cycling lovers just gather together on Friday evening (start at 9 pm) to enjoy riding around the streets of Tartu.